UK - Case Study

For the case study, you need to cover:

• the nature of the government;
• domestic policies;
• opposition and dissent

in the United Kingdom from 1945-2000.

Nature of Government

Overview of the UK system of government (official govt site)

"The United Kingdom is a parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarch. A king or queen is the head of state, and a prime minister is the head of government. The people vote in elections for Members of Parliament (MPs) to represent them."

System of UK Government (in class notes 6 Sept 2012)
based on Overview link above.

UK Domestic Policy

The best overview (it had to be on the BBC site somewhere!)

More detail from:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/modern/

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/postwar.htm

Rebuilding post-war

Housebuilding policy http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/topics/housebuilding.htm

Immigration & citizenship

British citizenship (second half of article):
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pathways/citizenship/brave_new_world/citizenship4.htm

Post-War Immigration: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pathways/citizenship/brave_new_world/immigration.htm

A West Indian in England: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/topics/west-indian.htm

Employment of coloured people (1954) http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/topics/employment.htm

Welfare State

Best description: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pathways/citizenship/brave_new_world/welfare.htm

Overview: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/modern/field_01.shtml

Macmillan – ‘the Opportunity State’ (1957) http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/topics/macmillan-speech.htm

National Service

BBC Overview: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/modern/peacetime_conscripts_01.shtml

Why NS is necessary (1950s) http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/topics/national-service.htm

‘They stand ready’ Documentary pro-NS http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/topics/stand-ready.htm

Devolution of governments

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/UKgovernment/Devolvedgovernment/DG_073306

A beginner’s guide (BBC) http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/election_2010/first_time_voter/8589835.stm

Entry to EEC/EU (domestic or foreign?)

Labour nationalisation of industry / Conservative denationalisation

See Attlee & Thatcher sections

Economic policy

Why not to float the pound (1950s)

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/topics/pound.htm


‘What has to be done’ Labour’s economic development policy 1965
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/topics/national-plan.htm

(and its failure: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/topics/plan-failure.htm)

Devaluing the pound, 1967
http://www.media-ucn.co.uk/Lecture%20notes/devaluation%20notes.htm - good overview of currency situation in 1967 and why do it